Al Atkinson vs. Ed Smith — Career Comparison

Ed Smith built a career as a starting pitcher and Al Atkinson as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Ed Smith posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 3.72 and WHIP 1.332 compared to 3.96 and 1.259 for Al Atkinson. By the career numbers, Ed Smith had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.